Firebird [Import]

Firebird [Import]

Track Listings

1. Meantime

2. Torn Down

3. Stranger to Himself

4. Bollard

5. One Trick Pony

6. Raise a Smile

7. Hardened Sole

8. Fat Cat Groan

9. Caught in the Quagmire

10. Through the Fields

11. Robin's Riff

12. World of Tears

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese Version of the New Project by Bill Stear (Carcass, Napalm Death) featuring Two Bonus Tracks: Robin's Riff, and World of Tears.

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor
Jesu, Joy OF Man's Desiring
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio sostenuto
March Of The Toreadors (Carmen)
Celebrated Minuet
Polovtsian Dance No. 1 (Prince Igor)
Cradle Song
'Minute' Waltz
Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune
Largo
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Rhapsody In Blue - Andante And Finale
Peer Gynt Suite: Morning
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Liebestraum
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March
'Masterpiece Theater' Theme: Rondau (First Symphonic Suite)
The Great Gate Of Kiev

Tracks:

Eine klein Nachtmusik - Allegro: Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro
Orpheus In The Underworld: Cancan
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna
Canon In D
Lietenant Kije Suite - Troika
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - 18th Variation: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini- 18th Variation
Bolero - Conclusion
The Tale Of Czar Sultan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
William Tell Overture - Finale
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Gymnopedie No. 3
Ave Maria
Blue Danube Waltz
Thus Spake Zarathustra - Sunrise
Firebird Suite - Finale
1812 Overture - Finale: 1812 Overtune - Finale
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Anvil Chorus (II Trovatore)
The Four Seasons - Largo From 'Winter'
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries

Amazon.com

For those who want the most remembered passages of classical music's best-loved works, here's a package for you. On this bargain priced double-CD, you'll find music from 40 different classical composers; for the most part, the recordings excerpted here are some of the very best. Of course, you only get one Bach sampling (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, played by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) and one Mozart (A Little Night Music conducted by Herbert von Karajan), but this is still a nice collection--perhaps the starting point for a budding collection of classical music. This set's downfall? Unfortunately, though the liner notes discuss the evolution of classical music chronologically, the tracks are programmed in alphabetical order by composer's last name. This makes for some startling transitions! Emil Gilels's reflective performance of the Adagio from Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is followed by the crashing cymbals and bombast of Carmen's "March of the Toreadors," a recipe for a heart attack if there ever was one. Still, there's something here for everyone and the liner notes even explain what movies this music can be found in. A nice touch. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Waste of money.......2006-01-12

Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.

Ken

Great Music Compilation.......2005-08-15

This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy. If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you. You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

If you like classical music don't buy this CD........2005-03-11

Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing. I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's. If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks.

A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music.......2005-02-23

In my years of experience teaching Fine Arts to high school students, I know that the majority, if not all, of the music included on this album is commonly used in collge music appreciation courses. This is an excellent sample of truly all the "greatest hits" of classical music. My students enjoy listening to the music and have later told me when take their required music apreciation courses in college that they "already know it all" because of this CD! The recordings are clear, the selections are passionate, and the listener will gain a familiarity with all of the most commonly heard classical music used in tv commercials, movies, etc.
I recommend this album, along with the boxed set, "Age of the Classics" for anyone who is interested in becoming familiar with the most famous staples of classical music.

A great compilation.......2005-02-09

This cd somes up some of the greatest pieces of instrumental (and is some cases choral) music ever written. It is a great starter for a beginning classical music lover or a quick and easy all-in-one for those of us who study classical music for a living. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who wants to love or already does love classical music.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Introduction. Lento - London Symphony Orchestra
The Spring Divinations - Dances Of The Young Girls - London Symphony Orchestra
Mock Abduction - London Symphony Orchestra
Spring Round Dances - London Symphony Orchestra
Games Of The Rival Tribes - London Symphony Orchestra
Procession Of The Wise Elder - London Symphony Orchestra
Dance Of The Earth - London Symphony Orchestra
Introduction. Largo - London Symphony Orchestra
Mystical Circles Of The Young Girls - London Symphony Orchestra
Glorification Of The Chosen Victim - London Symphony Orchestra
Summoning Of The Ancestors - London Symphony Orchestra
Ritual Of The Ancestors - London Symphony Orchestra
Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen Victim) - London Symphony Orchestra
Introduction - Leonard Bernstein
The Firebird And Its Dance - Leonard Bernstein
Variation Of The Firebird - Leonard Bernstein
The Princesses' Round - Leonard Bernstein
Infernal Dance Of King Kashchei - Leonard Bernstein
Lullaby - Leonard Bernstein
Finale - Leonard Bernstein
I. Adoration Of Veles And Ala - Leonard Bernstein
II. The Enemy God And The Dance Of The Black Spirits - Leonard Bernstein
III. Night - Leonard Bernstein
IV. The Glorious Departure Of Lolli And The Procession Of The Sun - Leonard Bernstein

Amazon.com

Considering that Stravinsky's Rite of Spring has been around for nearly a century, it's surprising that even today, conductors literally get lost while attempting to beat through it--and that goes for some of the biggest names. Difficult as the piece is, conductors have no excuse for major lapses, now that this recording is available for study. Bernstein not only keeps complete control of the complex rhythms and constantly-switching meters throughout the work but he also interprets it with fire and sweep and emotional versatility. The Firebird is equally breathtaking. It's priceless, too, for the fabulous horn solo played by the New York Philharmonic's legendary James Chambers. --Gwendolyn Freed

Customer Reviews:

Three Le Sacres from Bernstein.......2005-10-01

In the Royal Edition of Bernstein's recordings with the NY Phil., there was a hair-raising Le Sacre dating from 1958 in vivid sound with lots of impact and incredibly virtuosic playing. This was followed by a surround-sound remake with the London Sym. in 1972 as the fflagship for Columbia's attempt to promote "quadraphoonic sound," which never cuaght on.

The first recording occasioned a "wow" from Stravinsky in one of his memoirs (no doubt in part being ironic). The second recordingt is just as splashy and extroverted, although I prefer the 1958 version as the more flexible and less blatant. Both are wonderful and show off Bernstein's exuberance at its best.

This is the second reading from 1972, now in stereo, the 1958 being out of print. The Israel Phil. version made for DG in the Eighties--I don't have the exact date since I threw away the CD--is a parody of the young Bernstein by the old one, and the orchestra is far from being able to master the score.

WOW........2005-09-13

This recording really is something. Considering how old this rendition is, the depth at which bernstein controls the LSO is remarkable. There are moments when he lets the LSO loose, like letting the animals come out of their cages. He knows exactly how and exactly when to create, what I can only describe as "chaos". Bernstein's love for this arresting piece shines through the second half.
I only complain of the sound quality and the firebird. It is NOT A GOOD FIREBIRD.

BUY IT

Commonplace "Rite"... and a TERRIFIC "Firebird".......2005-07-26

It's a pity for me for this album to put the 70s recording Lenny did with the LSO on Stravinsky's revolutionary "Rite of Spring" instead of the performance he did with the NYPO about a decade earlier.
The 60s recording (which sadly may be only available in the "Royal Edition" series) remains on of my favorite performance of the "Rite" (along with the "Fast and the Furious" Ozawa's with the CSO on RCA), because it has more brashness in the music, more savagery, more tension. His interpretation is far more extraordinary compared to this recording in this album. The extra "ornaments" Lenny added to further exxagerate the wildness and primitiveness in the 60s recording has competely disappeared in this performance, making a more commonplace, even tamed, performance. Same goes with the 80s performance on DG with the Isreal Phil.

Lenny's performance "Firebird" Suite, on the other hand... is an electrifying 5 Star performance... THE main attraction of the album, not the 70s "Rite". This recording was done in the 60s with the NYPO, so there is more youthness and vigor in the performance. While the sound quality is not at its best, the performace is as hot as it can get. You will especially love the climax of the "Infernal Dance" and the "Finale". The only other recording I equally love is Claudio Abbado's performance with the LSO on DG, powerful in its own way... and more crystal-clear).

Proikofiev's "Scythian Suite" (the Bonus tracks) is another plus in this album. The "Dance of the Dark Spirits" is especially thrilling, as Lenny actually takes the tempo a bit faster compared to most other performances, including Abbado on DG and Jarvi on Chandos.

P.S. - Do you notice the "Jaws" theme hidden under the movment?

Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Firebird-Complete/Scherzo/Firework

Average customer rating:

The Definitive "Firebird"!!
Essential Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky

Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Firebird-Complete/Scherzo/Firework
I. Stravinsky , and Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Petrouchka/ Le Sacre du Printemps
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The Firebird in Full Score (Original 1910 Version)
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Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony

ASIN: B0000026GI
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Customer Reviews:

The Definitive "Firebird"!!.......2004-06-28

There are numerous recordings available of Igor Stravinsky's ballet masterwork "The Firebird" however, the 1961 "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky" recording available on this disc is one that eclipses all other versions. The recording was performed by The Columbia Symphony and is presented in its complete length of nearly 43-minutes (most other recordings present "The Firebird" in a suite lasting only 25-minutes). The performance under Stravinsky's baton is nothing short of breathtaking. The piece's dynamics, shifting rhythms and unprecidented beauty are all clearly defined and wonderfully executed.
Also included on the disc are two Scherzo pieces ("Scherzo a la Russe" and "Scherzo Fantastique Op.3") along with a recording of "Fireworks", a piece composed for the wedding of the daughter of Stravinsky's friend and teacher Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. These three shorter works also include Stravinsky's signature rhythms and dynamic orchestrations (especially in the "Scherzo Fantastique" which echoes "The Firebird" in some spots).
This is a fantastic CD of some of Stravinsky's finest work conducted by the composer himself. Hearing Stravinsky conduct his own work brings a certain authenticity to the music. You hear exactly the way the composer wishes the music to be executed.
If you enjoy this, pick the other two discs in the "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky" series ("Petrushka/The Rite Of Spring" and "Symphony of Psalms/Symphony in C/Symphony in Three Movements"). These recordings are just as refreshing and exciting as "The Firebird".

Essential Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky.......2003-07-28

Unfortunately, we will never get to hear Bach play the organ, or Mozart the piano, or Beethoven conduct the 5th Symphony. But thanks to the advent of recording technology, we have been able to hear the great composers of the 20th Century play and conduct their own work. Sadly, recordings of the likes of Elgar, Strauss and Rachmaninov are all in early mono, but there are several brilliant stereo recordings available by Copland and Stravinsky. These recordings of "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky" were made for CBS in the early 1960s, and along with two other discs (featuring the Rite of Spring with Petrushka, and the other one the Symphonies), are absolutely essential for serious fans of classical music. Often composers were not the best conductors of their own work (their expertise was first and foremost in composing), but they are nonetheless a vital document of their creative and versatile talents. For serious Stravinsky fans I would recommend getting both the Decca Stravinsky Box Set conducted by Ernest Ansermet (see my review), and the three CBS Masterworks titles of "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky." That way you can compare and contrast, and determine for yourself whether Stravinsky himself was truly the best conductor of Stravinsky.

Average customer rating:

Good job
Masterful!
Great CD of Classical music's power pieces!

Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder

Manufacturer: Time Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Thunderous Classics
Thunder & Lightning
25 Thunderous Classics
Classical Thunder II: Time Life Library of Classical Favorites
Simply the Best Classical Anthems

ASIN: B00081U6XC
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Introduction
Ride Of The Valkyries
Mars, The Bringer Of War
Montagues And Capulets
Sabre Dance
William Tell Overture (Conclusion)
In The Hall Of The Mountain King
The Hut On Fowl's Legs
The Great Gate At Kiev
Fanfare For The Common Man
Allegro Con Brio
Marche Au Supplice (March To The Scaffold)
Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)
Circus Maximus
Les Toreadors
Finlandia, Op.26
1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion)

Tracks:

Procession Of The Nobles
Rakoczy March
Ritual Fire Dance
The Hero's Battlefield
Pines Of The Appian Way
Dies Irae
Allegro Con Brio
Allegretto
Air Et Danse Bacchanale
Farandole
Infernal Dance Of King Kastchei
O Fortuna
The Wedding Of Kije
Hurricane
Marche Slave, Op.31

Customer Reviews:

Good job.......2005-08-26

I remember when I was little, I had this cd, but i lost it. I bought a similiar type of one through TIme Life and decided to try the Classical Thunder one. I have like it so far.

Masterful!.......2005-06-15

This two CD set is magnificent. I got the set in the early 1990's when it was advertised on television, along with other releases in Time Life's set. I was struck by the interpretations of the conductors. Whenever I hear these pieces now, I judge them against this recording. Amazing selection as well. There are staples of orchestra repetoire, like Beethoven symphonies, but also gems that are not heard very often, like the Rimsky-Korsakov "Procession of the Nobles." A very impressive recording.

Great CD of Classical music's power pieces!.......2005-06-07

I got this CD when I was around 16 because I loved a lot of the music on this double CD set. As a student pursuing a Music Education major, it has been a great asset for my musically, and just great for listening to. I will drive on short trips and take this with me and blast it louder than the guy in the next car blasting rap music. I also take it skiing as it sets a great tempo down the mountain. This is a great CD for anyone that loves music.

Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite; Borodin: Music from Prince Igor

Average customer rating:

Russian music at its best.
Music from the home
Powerful- Precise- Pure.

Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite; Borodin: Music from Prince Igor

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Tchaikovsky: 1812; Capriccio Italien; Cossack Dance
Moussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain/Pictures at an Exhibition
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring/Pulcinella Suite
Gustav Holst: The Planets, Op 32
Debussy: La Mer

ASIN: B000003CSF
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Introduction
Overture
Polovetsian Dances

Customer Reviews:

Russian music at its best........2004-06-24

This my favorite of the 500 classical cds in my collection. The clarity of the recording and the excellent definition of the voices, choral and orchestral, presented by this Russian music make it the best representation of this music I have heard--I get it out when I want to shop for a new amp or speakers and take it with me. The salespeople I meet are suddenly impressed with the sound of "classical" music (this is romantic period stuff), and I get to select the correct component with the music I know best in my ears. The audio sensitivity and thunderous climaxes are excellent.

Everybody did their job right. The compositions are engaging and beautiful. The orchestra is masterfully conducted by Robert Shaw, with the details if instrumentation and vocalization presented with marvelous clarity and integration. The musicians of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra perform with diligent craft and articulation. And, finally, the recording engineers captured the sound with all its glory and detail; leaving to you the easy part: buy it and put it in your player.

Music from the home.......2002-12-05

This is a fabulous cd to enjoy and let your ears pick apart. Each instrument is voiced through precision, clarity and ingenuity. As a youngster in the classical world (22), I find this to be a compelling piece of work that transcends age. The continuous and explosive climaxes are both endearing and send lightening bolts through the listeners veins. I highly reccomend this to any true advocate of fine music.

Powerful- Precise- Pure........2000-12-05

This is perhaps my favorite recording of my favorite piece. The Firebird Suite, as recorded by Telarc, performed By ASO/Shaw, Is the cleanest, richest version yet. If you are a newcomer to classical music, try this as your first... It is bound to entrance with it's swaying, lulling movements which are shredded to bits by fire and lightning explosions culminating in a spectacular finale which still makes my heart beat fast after so many years. A must for the collector as well. Telarc ddd recording so clear that you can tell what the patron listening in the 3rd row had for dinner. :-) This piece was a favorite of Ernie Kovacs and he featured it in one of his musical skits. This is a sure buy.

Fantasia 2000: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack

Average customer rating:

Great for kids with Autism!
Fantasia 2000
Great pieces of classical music!
Fantastic!
One song along would make this worth buying

Fantasia 2000: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack

Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000038ICW
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Tracks:

Symphony No.5
Pines Of Rome
Rhapsody In Blue
Piano Concerto No.2, Allegro
Carnival Of The Animals
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Pomp And Circumstance Marches
Firebird Suite-1919 Version

Amazon.com

Without the gorgeous visuals, the soundtrack to Fantasia/2000 is nothing more than a collection of some of classical music's greatest moments. But what moments they are! Conductor James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra provide new (though hardly groundbreaking) arrangements for these classical music warhorses. Piano virtuoso Yefim Bronfman joins in to record the Allegro section of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 (if you like this track, check out Bronfman playing the entire piece on his 1999 disc with the Los Angeles Philharmonic), and soprano Kathleen Battle lends a high note to the climax of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. We also get the classic Sorcerer's Apprentice from the original (and now out-of-print) Fantasia soundtrack. Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra, the Paul Dukas composition still steals the show. The original movie may have been a flop, but with any luck Fantasia/2000 will turn some young minds on to classical music, especially with such inspired choices as Respighi's Pines of Rome. Like what you hear? Remember, these are just excerpts and you really owe it to yourself to hear the works in their entirety--slow movements and all. That said, whether you're a Disney fan, an IMAX aficionado, or just a classical-lover-to-be, you can't go wrong with this disc. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Great for kids with Autism!.......2007-04-10

As a parent of profoundly autistic twin boys, this CD is so calming and I never tire of listening to it in the car. This CD on their Walkman helps get them through loud basketball games or sensory overload events at school. They LOVE "Rhapsody in Blue!"

Fantasia 2000.......2006-12-30

I have most of these pieces on other CD's, and I mostly got this one for 'Rhapsody in Blue'. If you don't own 'Firebird' and don't feel like owning the entire thing, then get this--it's got the highlights. Overall the selection is varied. You have probably forgotten that 'Pomp and Circumstance' is a real piece, and not just a graduation death march--this CD will remind you, with its very wise summary of the very extensive five marches by Elgar. This is certainly a lot more interesting than most classical highlights CD's.

Great pieces of classical music!.......2005-11-16

This is a really lovely collection of exhilarating and intriguing music pieces. Fantasia helped spawn my interest in classical music. The animation is beautiful in the movie but it's the music which makes it happen.

Fantastic! .......2005-07-18

My favorite piece of music ever is "Rhapsody in Blue" and I've managed to collect quite a few versions of it over the years. This is the absolute best recording of "Rhapsody in Blue" I have ever heard! I'm listening to it on a constant loop tonight. The entire record is great as is the other soundtrack from "Fantasia." The movie is a wonderful way to get kids exposed to classical music without them even realizing it! Worked on me when I was a kid. Once again, the Mouse works his magic!

One song along would make this worth buying.......2004-11-21

In my opinion, this CD is worth it just for "Rhapsody in Blue," but there are seven other great tracks, as well. Music like this spans generations; it's essentially timeless in its beauty and ability to put a smile on your face. Great stuff. Yes, there may only be eight tracks on this disc, but four of them are nine minutes or longer, so you're not being cheated out of anything. I'm not a steadfast Disney fan, but they really know how to pick classical music for their masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

Love It!
Best of the Best
GREAT compilation!!!
Very well organized
The greatest parts from all your favorites

Mad about The Classics

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001GKR
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

Thus Spake Zarathustra: Sunrise
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
Carmen Suite: March Of The Toreadors
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
Orpheus In The Underworld: Can Can
Peer Gynt (Suite No. 1): Morning Mood
William Tell Overture: Finale
Symphony No. 9 ('From The New World'): Largo (Theme)
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries
Prince Igor: Flowing Dance Of The Polovtsian Maidens-Men's Dance
Hungarian Dance No. 6
The Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
The Four Seasons: 'Spring' - Allegro
Jesu, Joy Of The Man's Desiring - Bach
Canon In D
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro
Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio
Peer Gynt (Suite No. 1): In The Hall Of The Mountain King
The Firebird Suite: Finale
1812 Overture: Finale - Tchaikovsky

Customer Reviews:

Love It!.......2005-08-11

I first received this CD as a Christmas present more than 6 years ago. My old copy was too scratched to play any more. I was so happy to see that Amazon carried this CD, it has all the best classics on it!

Best of the Best.......2005-05-11

I listen to a variety of music from Cajun to classic rock, to classical---depending on my mood or the situation. This clasical ensemble truly encompasses some of the most hauntingly beautiful music ever to have been written by our civilization's most talented people. I never tire of listening to it.

GREAT compilation!!!.......1999-07-27

I can only wish that popular music (rock, rap, dance) compilers could take a hint from this album, and include only the GOOD songs. This has all of the well-known classical songs. I really wanted to get the title of a particular classical song, and I looked for 4 weeks on the Internet until I remembered I had this album. I put it in, and the second song, "O Fortuna", was it.

Very well organized.......1999-06-25

I really like to llisten your these MAD ABOUT series. However, I could not buy these series in Japan. Please let me now how to buy these series. And tell me what kind of albums you have in stock, and how much if I need air persel. Thanks.

The greatest parts from all your favorites.......1998-10-18

From 2001: A Space Odyssey's theme, to Beethoven's fifth, this CD has the all time best compilation of Classical and Romatic music I have ever heard. The only thing that comes close is Polygram's Really Mad About the Classics.

Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete Ballet, 1910) / Alexander Scriabin: Prometheus - The Poem of Fire - Valery Gergiev / Kirov Orchestra, St. Petersburg / Alexander Toradze

Average customer rating:

Maybe a bit too fussily detailed
An excellent choice
Electrifying
Incandescent!
The only Firebird Ballet I would want...

Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete Ballet, 1910) / Alexander Scriabin: Prometheus - The Poem of Fire - Valery Gergiev / Kirov Orchestra, St. Petersburg / Alexander Toradze
Alexander Scriabin , Igor Stravinsky , Valery Gergiev , Kirov Orchestra - St.Petersburg , and Alexander Toradze
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring / Alexander Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy - Valery Gergiev / Kirov Orchestra
Classical Music 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Classical Music

ASIN: B00000DBUS
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

L'oiseau de feu: Introduction
L'oiseau de feu: Kaschei's Enchanted Garden
L'oiseau de feu: Appearance Of The Firebird Pursued By Ivan Tsarevich
L'oiseau de feu: Dance Of The Firebird
L'oiseau de feu: Ivan Tsarevich Captures The Firebird
L'oiseau de feu: Supplications Of The Firebird
L'oiseau de feu: Game Of The Princesses With The Golden Apples
L'oiseau de feu: Sudden Appearance Of Ivan Tsarevich
L'oiseau de feu: Round Dance Of The princesses
L'oiseau de feu: Daybreak
L'oiseau de feu: Magic Carillon, Appearance Of Kastchei's Guardian Monsters And Capture Of Ivan Tsarevich
L'oiseau de feu: Dance Of Kashchei's Retinue Under The Spell Of The Firebird
L'oiseau de feu: Infernal Dance Of All Kashchei's Subjects
L'oiseau de feu: Lullaby Of The Firebird
L'oiseau de feu: Collapse Of Kashshei's Palace And Dissolution Of All Enchantments - Reanimation Of The Petrified Prisoners - General Rejoicing
Prometheus - The Poem Of Fire

Amazon.com essential recording

For raw, pagan splendor and over-the-top excitement, it's impossible to beat Gergiev's account of the complete 1910 Firebird. His Kirov charges attack the piece as if the notes were still fresh on the page, yet play it with smashing virtuosity-- clearly, the score's exorbitant demands pose absolutely no challenge to these musicians. This is not an unrefined reading of the piece, but it is not overly refined either. It is, in short, a Russian Firebird rather than a French one. The Philips recording, made in 1995 in the Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, is sumptuous and amazingly potent. The coupling with Scriabin's megalomaniacal tone poem is inspired, and makes this disc impossible to resist. --Ted Libbey

Amazon.com

One seldom hears Stravinsky's original, complete, 1910 score to Diaghilev's ballet, The Firebird. Here Valery Gergiev leads the Kirov Orchestra in a muscular, well-defined rendering of the work in full. His is a decidedly controlled interpretation. Stretched out in spots to bring out clarity and significance of line, it's pushed along in others to convey urgency and melodic direction. The microphones sound very close, which only heightens the vitality of the overall texture of this interpretation. Though the group is not always precisely together and a few spots are marred by faulty intonation, the spirit and strength of conviction behind this gripping performance more than carry it off. --Gwendolyn Freed

Customer Reviews:

Maybe a bit too fussily detailed.......2005-09-19

Hearing the whole Firebird without seeing any aciton on stage is a long haul--there are evocative stretches that contain little forward motion. Gergiev and the recording engineers sustain attention by illuminating every small orchestral detail, and that works--up to a point. I began to feel that I was immersed in shimmering sound at the expense of drama. Maybe something a bit more gutsy? Or maybe I will stick with the suite, which has no dead spots.

An excellent choice.......2002-07-18

No one needs debate the merits of Firebird; it is one of the great ballets of all time and a worthwhile addition to any collection. I don't like Prometheus as much, but this is a reflection on Scriabin's composing, not on Kirov's playing, Gergiev's conducting, or the engineering on this disc.

In fact, the engineering on this CD is excellent, and the complete Firebird ballet is played expertly throughout. The famous Danse Infernale is driving, and the Finale is soaring and triumphant.

However, this disc does not receive a full five stars because in my mind it lacks a certain "je ne sais quoi." I really enjoy it, but I sense Gergiev and Kirov hold back a little; I sense that they could have taken it to the next level of excitement but didn't. Don't get me wrong; this CD is great, but I just expected more. And one more thing; in the microsecond of silence just before the crescendo of the last note of Firebird, there is a small scratch on the recording. I can't determine if it came on the tape they used to record the performance or from a rustle of paper or a percussionist picking up something in the concert hall, but it just barely mars the most essential moment of the entire piece. I try to overlook it, but it's something small that stands out in a big way, sort of like a splinter or a tiny pebble stuck in your shoe.

Otherwise, this is a great disc which deserves nearly all of the kudos it receives, and I don't know of a better performance to recommend instead.

Electrifying.......2002-04-17

Both pieces on this recording show why Gergiev is one of the most acclaimed conductors in the world in this repertoire. The excitement of this recording was confirmed when I heard Gergiev and the Kirov live, performing the complete "Firebird" at Carnegie Hall. No question, there are many good versions of this extraordinary piece, but this one certainly ranks among the best.

In terms of sheer, visceral excitement, this is hard to beat, and it is coupled with an equally breathless performance of the Scriabin "Prometheus." The final few measures, and the final chord, make as thrilling an ending as I have heard in classical music.

Incandescent!.......2001-06-26

As we are treated to more of Valery Gergiev's interpretations in recordings his gifts as a conductor and energizer of orchestras become more and more obvious. This FIREBIRD soars like a mltiheaded hydra out of the always electrical fire Gerviev smolders in his baseplate of trembling sonics. This is a spectacular reading of an exciting score, played in the way only the Russians can play. The accompanying PROMETHEUS on the disc finally comes to life after many bombastic attempts under other conductor's hands. Toradze is well tempered and the cause for Scriabin interest in this century is well served by all. This recording is one of incandescent fire!

The only Firebird Ballet I would want..........2000-12-12

I wish I could write something here that would persuade people that this recording of Stravinksy's Firebird Ballet, well coupled with Scriabin's Prometheus is very much worth having, but frankly I don't think I know where to begin or how to go about it. Firebird, nevertheless, is not just Brass! Brass! Brass! as another reviewer may have been suggesting, however important that element may be, because all the elements that go into it matter, and they're all here in this recording, incredibly beautifully played. As far as I am concerned this is absolutely the only Firebird to have (I have more than this one, including Michael Tilson Thomas' Firebird Ballet and Bernstein's Firbird Suite). I'd give Gergiev's and the Kirov ten stars but I can't!

Average customer rating:

Great Classic Themes
Simply Wonderful!
Simply Wonderful!
Halloween!!!!!!

Most Frightening Music in the Universe

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classics from the Crypt
Very Scary Music: Classic Horror Themes
Fright Night: Music that Goes Bump in the Night
More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B0002W4V0G
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
Hermann - Suite From "Psycho": I. Prelude / II. The City / III. The Swamp / IV. The Murder / V. The Cellar / VI. Discovery
Wagner - Flying Dutchman Overture
Mussorgsky - Pictures At An Exhibition: Gnomus / Catacombs / Babi-Yar's Hut On Chicken's Legs
Berlioz - Symphony Fantastique: IV. March To The Scaffold / V. Dream Of The Witches Sabbath
Stravinsky - Firebird, IV. Infernal Dance Of The King Kashchei
Shostakovich - Cemetary (from The film "Five Days And Five Nights")
Holst - The Planets, Mars Bringer Of War

Tracks:

Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathrusta: I. Sehr Breit (Theme From 2001: A Space Odyssey) / IX. The Song Of The Night Wanderer
Mussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain
Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet, The Montagues and the Capulets
Xenakis - The Pleiades, First Movement
Vivaldi - Four Seasons, Summer, III, Presto, Tempo Impetuoso D'Estate
Bernstein - The Grifters
Stravinsky - The Rite Of Spring: III. Mock Abduction / XIII. Sacrificial Dance
Shostakovich - Symphony No 5, IV. Allegro Non Troppo
Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice (From Fantasia)
Bernstein - Ghostbusters

Customer Reviews:

Great Classic Themes.......2006-09-11

This is an awesome collection of unsettling melodies from the masters, not just some horror movie themes (though it does have some Psyco). You will end up playing a round of "Where have I heard that score before?" because these melodies are very iconic.
The only complaint is that the track listing is somewhat occult. One has to use amazon.com's track listings and fill in the numbers.
Still, this is a great buy!!

Simply Wonderful!.......2006-05-18

I would like to begin my review of this wonderful CD by stating that I am not a "kid." (unless you consider a 14-year-old to still be a child) I am, however, too lazy too start a new Amazon.com account before typing about this great CD.

Now then... In my eyes, this CD recieved 5 stars because of (what else!) the music. The quality of the music to be more specific. The sound of it was great and the selection of the pieces was pure genius. My personal favorite would have to be a three-way tie between Bach's Toccata and Fugue, Dukas' Sorceror's Apprentice, and Stravinsky's The Right of Spring.

I will leave you tonight with one final thought... Is it just me, or are most of the pieces from "Fantasia"? At least 7 (!) of the pieces are from that age-old classic. I think it's funny that they are on a collection such as "The Most Frightening Music in the Universe". And could the cover art be any worse?!

All in all it is a great CD to add to any collection. (and cheap!) Thanks!

-Smith

Simply Wonderful!.......2006-05-18

Halloween!!!!!!.......2006-04-02

This Is Great i love Classical and halloween is my favorite holiday its great!! great collection

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